Double action ratchet brace



y 30, 1933- R.. E. DORMAN 1,9

DOUBLE ACTION RATCHET BRACE Filed Aug. 31, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR: Z W

A TTORNEY Patented May 30, 1933 RALPH E. DOB-MAN, or NITTAN PENNSYLVANIA1 DOUBLE A cTIo RA'rcHET BRACE Application filed August 31, 1931; SerialNo. 560,287.

7 This invention is a double action ratchet brace for wood boring andthe'like.

One object isto provide a boring tool operable in comparativelyrestricted places,

such as corners or laterally through joists under floors.

Another object is to provide a tool of the kind referred to having alever operated chuck, the latter being adapted for continuous rotationin either direction desired, under the oscillating driving action of thelever.

Another object is the provision of a ratchet boring brace operablethrough an oscillating hand lever and through a gear train transmittingthe lever action to the chuck, there being a reversible ratchet controlfor the gear mechanism, wherebythe chuck may be caused to rotatecontinuously in either direction notwithstanding the oscillating motionof the handle. 7 1

WVith these and such other objects and advantages as may appear,attention is called to the following specification and to theaccompanying drawings as constituting a part thereof and wherein Figure1 is a side elevation of the tool assembly, the rotatable connectionbetween handle and chuck being in section to. show the arrangement ofthe adjustable lock ball races and ball bearings; v

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of the medially mounted gear train orsystem for driving the chuck, portions of the handle and chuck beingbroken away;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3- -3 of Figure 1; V

Figure 4 is an enlargedsection on the line 44 of Figure 1; V

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged section on the line 66 of Figure l.

The invention comprises a handle bar 1 with hand knob '2 at its'upperend, having a medially located, transversely extended and preferablyintegrally formed gear shaft hub 3 and having its lower end journaledand threaded as shown at 4. Agear shaft 5 is passed tightly through thehub 8 and a pair of bevel gears 6" andpreferably integrally connectedand smaller ratchet gears 7 are freely mounted upon the ends of thisshaft; Side plates 8 having inturned margins 9 are set overthe outersides of these gears, the plates which the ends of the shaft 5 arepassed. Bushings 11 are then set over the ends of the shaft 5 and intothe holes 10 of the plates, the plates having holes 10 formed throughthem adapted to align with the ends of the shaft 5. Threaded bores '12are extended into the ends of the shaft 5 and set screws 13 are setthereinto with their heads overlying the bushings lland thus locking thegears in place. A spacer 14 is provided with side plates 15 extendedwithin'the plates 8, and set screws 16 are passed through the plates 8and 15 and through spacing bushings 17 into threaded bores 18 formed inthe spacer 14. Additional set screws 19 are having holes 10 throughpassed through the outer ends of the plates 15 into the spacer. Anoperating lever 20 has an end threaded at 21 into the front side of thespacer 14, and a ratchet control plate 22-, having the inturned pawlengagingfingers 22a, is pivotally mounted at the front of the spacer 14overthe end of the lever 20, which plate, the latter being held againstlateral displacement by a nut 23 and set screw 24. Two pairs ofoppositely arranged pawls 25-26 are loosely pinned at- 27 to the innerfaces of the side plates 8, the inturnedmargins 9 of which are cut outas shown at 28 to permit the free play of said pawls as well as topermit access thereto. The inner ends of the pawls are adapted toshiftingly engage the ratchets 7 at either side, while outer ends arefreely disposed within the fingers 22a. braced between the pawls so asnormally tend to throw them into. engagement with the ratchets, but byshifting the control plate 22 either up or down, thefingers 22m atpasses freely through said Expans on springs 29. are

either end will operate to force a lower pawl 25.,at one side outof-gengagement with-its ratchet, and simultaneously'an upper pawl 26 atthe opposite side out of engagement withflits ratchet. The springs,29-are enclosed within tubular guides or sleeves 42 and at their endsenter seats or sockets 43 formed in the pawls. Thus an upper pawl 26 atthe first side and a lower pawl 25 at the opposite side will remain inengagement with their respective ratchets. Under this arrangement, it isobvious that oscillation of the lever 20 in a plane passing through theaxis of the handle bar 1 will result in the continuous rotation of theratchets 7 and connected gears 6 in thesame direction, since the pawlsalternately engage their ratchets at top and bottom on opposite sides ofthe gear assembly. A lock screw .30 is threadedly passed through theplate 22 and the inner end slidably engages a series of corrulhwherebythe. latter is yieldingly retained in any adjusted position. A look nut32 may be provided for the screw :30. A-connecting bevel ring gear orchuck gear 33, having .a sleeve 84 exteriorly threaded at 35, isrotatably mounted upon the lower end of the handle bar 1 in mesh withthe gears .6, and a pair of interiorly threaded ring-like ball races 85.t'hreadedly engaging the threaded end of the bar land lockingly turnedagainst one another, serve to lock the gear 33 to the bar. Ball bearings.86 are interposed between the sleeve'iSd-and the upper ball race 35'.-A chuck assembly .37 of conventional form, is provided ati'ts upper endwith a rigidly connected socket V3.8 interiorly threaded and 'monntedupon the sleeve 34, with a ball bearing 3.9 interposed between thebottom .of the socket and the lower ball race 35. A set screw 40 servesto. lock the assembly together. Thus the chuck 37 will freely rotateunder the rotation of the gears 6. adjnsti-ngthe rings .35 and jammingthem together, and adjusting the socket relative to the sleeve 34, thechuck will smoothly rotate relative to the stationary handle bar '1.

Itis thought the use and operation of the tool will be fully understoodfrom the foregoing description.

' Thile I have herein described a certain specific manner and method ofconstructing and assembling the elements of my invention, it isunderstood that I may vary from the same in minor details, not departingfrom the spiritof my invention, so as best to construct a practicaldevice for the purpose intended, as defined in the appended claims; 7 VV 1.6131111: p 1. In a tool of the kind described, a handle bar, a chuckassembly journaled at one end of the handle bar, a beveled chuck gearcon nected to: the chuck assembly and journaled on the handle bar,. agear shaft extended diametrically through the; handle bar above thechuck gear, beveled gears journaledon the gear shaft; on opposite sidesLof-the handle ations 31 formed in the face of the spacer bar andmeshing with the chuck gear, ratchet gears on the outer sides of thebevel gears, side plates journaled on the ends of the gear shaftoutwardly of the said ratchet gears, a spacer, side plates on the spacerextended within and connected to the said side plates in spacedrelationship therewith, an operating lever secured to the spacer, twopairs of, oppositely arranged pawls fulcrumed on the inner sides of theouter side plates the said pawls being adapted to engage the ratchetgears at their inner ends, expansion coil springs braced between theouter ends of each pair of pawls and adapted to normally hold the innerends of the pawls in engagement with the ratch t gears,

a ratchet control plate journaled on the operating lever alongside thespacer, fingers turned inwardly from the edges of the ratchet controlplate and adapted to engage the outer ends of the pawls, and means forsecuring the ratchet control plate in an adjusted position. v

2. In a tool of the kind described, in combination with a pair of spacedbeveled gears journaled .on a gear shaft and driving a chuck assembly,ratchet gears carried by the beveled gears, side plates journaled on thegear shaft, a spacer secured between the out. er ends of the sideplates, an operating lever extended from the spacer, a pair of pawlsfulcrumed on each side plate and adapted to engage the ratchet gearsupon opposite sides, expansion coil springs braced between the outerends of the pawls and adapted to 109 RALPH E, DORMAN.

